Apple has warned that global shipments of its newest high-end iPhones will be delayed after China’s zero-Covid lockdowns caused havoc at a factory run by key supplier Foxconn.The tech group made a rare announcement about iPhone delays on Sunday, just over a week after it warned of “significant” headwinds to revenue growth due to the impact of a strong US dollar and supply constraints for its high-end models.
Apple said that demand for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models, whose popularity helped to drive iPhone revenue up 10 per cent last quarter, remained strong but added: “We now expect lower?.?.?.?shipments than we previously anticipated and customers will experience longer wait times to receive their new products”.
The iPhone powers about half of Apple’s global sales, and the December quarter is typically its most lucrative period. Although Apple has repeatedly said that Covid-19 constraints have caused billions of dollars worth of supply issues throughout the pandemic, it has not issued such a warning outside of earnings calls since February 2020.